Healthcare for All Universal healthcare is one of two or three big issues that pervade the thoughts of most Americans. The polls suggest that it is the number one issue facing voters. This is certainly the most non-partisan issue that we face. This morning it is being suggested that it may be the next big Washington battle ground that encompasses all three branches of government. The administration has taken a shifting stance trying to find…
A Week is a Lifetime This morning I heard Morning Joe say that a week is a lifetime in politics. And this past week was a lifetime for Democrats in a bad way since the Mueller Report was not the condemning document they hoped it would be. For Trump and Trump-following Republicans, this past week was a lifetime in a good way. TO use Trump’s own exaggerated and false narrative, it was a complete exoneration…
Writ Large Paul could not turn on cable news without hearing the term “writ large” over and over again. It is used to mean clear and obvious in context, and sometimes even a fully exaggerated form. The reason for Paul hearing this term being overused is a function of the goings on in Washington D.C. At this time of year, cherry blossoms are writ large all over the capital. One of Paul’s favorite movies was…
Magnifying Life I keep a magnifying glass on top of my home inbox. I used to use it to look at the fine print on bills and contracts I needed to review or look closely at. For one reason or another, I don’t seem to need it any more. Not that long ago I went to my Ophthalmologist (an old college friend who always gets me in and out quickly while we catch up on…
What Do We Believe In? I used to work with a guy named Josh. I had an unusual history with Josh because I was never quite sure who worked for whom. Don’t get me wrong, Josh was never insubordinate, it was just that he had his own agenda and I was never quite sure whether he was following his agenda or the team’s agenda as set by me. I have always preferred to have independent–minded…
Being Contrite I was baptized a Catholic, but life on the road had my mother convert us to a Presbyterian upbringing. If asked, I say I am Christian, which is my way of declaring that I believe in the fundamental Christian dogma of the golden rule and the Good Samaritan, but I’m not very inclined toward the organizational trappings of any specific sect and I know Judaism and Islam have tenets similar to that dogma.…
The Border What is a border? Technically, it’s a delineation between one group of people and another. Delineation can occur at many levels and I think it’s fair to suggest that the lines that matter have mostly to do with economic power. The “haves” must always protect what they have from the “have nots”. Vito had grown up on the south side of Chicago when it was, indeed, the baddest part of town. He was…
The Hanoi Hilton President Trump is in Hanoi meeting with North Korea’s Kim Jung Un. I’m not sure what hotel he is staying at and I’m sure Hilton would not place a hotel in Hanoi given the historical significance of the prison with the moniker Hanoi Hilton. What I am sure of is that he has no business being there at all. The reasons for this are known to most Americans whether they agree with…
The Curse of an Active Mind Rich glanced again at the clock and saw that 6:30am had finally come. The pillow-top mattress of his NYC apartment bed had done a decent job of cushioning his glitchy hip and it had not been the reason for his semi-wakefulness for the past two hours. That was more likely due to the unplanned nap he had taken while getting his late afternoon fix of MSNBC and the daily…
The Political Risks of Cruising We have done four cruises now and have signed up for at least one more next year down the Nile. Whether River or Ocean, these cruises are a political minefield in these days of galvanizing global views. It is no secret that the world has bifurcated into distinct cohorts of red and blue. In everyday life, one can manage the situation because we know the lay of the land. To…